Tent with arched bows

ABSTRACT

A tent is formed of a plurality of like bows struck on an arc of predetermined radius which may be eight feet more or less in radius. The ends of the bows have a pivot means thereon by which the bows are pivoted to opposite plates so that the bottom bows can swing upwardly against the central vertical bow or a pair of central vertical bows may swing from vertical to horizontal positions. Oval sections of fabric are joined together to fill the areas between the bows, stitched or otherwise secured together and to a listing strip at each edge through each of which a bow is threaded. When a pair of vertical bows are used, the fabric terminates around each bow so they can move away from each other. A cord or line can be pulled to raise one or the other of the horizontal bows or gear means, manually or motor driven to operate the vertical bows or the vertical or horizontal bows selectively. The cord or gears can be used on the inside or outside of the tent to raise or lower the bows.

[ Sept. 23, 1975 1 1 TENT WITH ARCHED BOWS John 0. Black, 18094 Parkside, Detroit, Mich. 48221 22 Filed: Sept. 23, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 508,414

[76] Inventor:

[52] U.S. Cl. 135/4 R; 135/D1G. I [51] Int. Cl. A45F 1/16 [58] Field of Search 135/1 R, 3 R, 4 R, DIG. 1;

Primary Examiner-Werner H. Schroeder Assistant ExaminerConrad L. Berman Attorney, Agent, or FirmHarness, Dickey & Pierce [57] ABSTRACT A tent is formed of a plurality of like bows struck on an arc of predetermined radius which may be eight feet more or less in radius. The ends of the bows have a pivot means thereon by which the bows are pivoted to opposite plates so that the bottom bows can swing upwardly against the central vertical bow or a pair of central vertical bows may swing from vertical to horizontal positions. Oval sections of fabric are joined to gether to fill the areas between the bows, stitched or otherwise secur edtogether and to a listing strip at each edge through each of which a bow is threaded. When a pair of vertical bows are used, the fabric terminates around each bow so they can move away from each other. A cord orline can be pulled to raise one or the other of the horizontal bows or gear means, manually or motor driven to operate the vertical bows or the vertical or horizontal bows selectively. The cord or gears can be used on the inside or outside of the tent to raise or lower the bows.

6 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 (4 3,906,968

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,906,968

4/ j'fl i I J J0 i A;

US Patsnt Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,906,968

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 smem 0f4 3,906,968

j/) //ZI x TENT WITH ARCH-[ED BOWS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of bows have been employed on buggy and automobile tops to permit the folding thereof but these bows are of different form and are not pivoted to opposite plates which rest upon the ground. Reference may be had to US. Pat. No. 3,811,454 to show structural membrane attached to an arch the bows of which do not engage the ground.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to a tent of semi-spherical shape having a pair of triangular plates which are secured to stakes in the ground, the spaced plate supporting the ends of a plurality of arcuately shaped tubes or rods which when erected may have the cover element pulled thereover somewhat in the manner of a cap when pulled on ones head. Oval shaped fabric sections could be stitched or otherwise secured together and to a listing strip at each edge through which a bow could be threaded. The listing strip supports the fabric panels between the bows when the bottom bows are moved into engagement with the ground to enclose the entire area circumscribed by the ground engaging bows. In certain areas two vertical bows are employed at the center of the tent about which the adjacent edges of the fabric are secured so that the bows may pivot outwardly from each other to uncover one or both sides of the tent. The outermost bow on each side of the centerplane moves downwardly into a horizontal ground engaging position. Such an arrangement is desired when the tent is employed as a hot bed for the starting of various plants so that they are encompassed by heat in the daytime and protected against the cold in the night and subjected to the direct rays of the sun when desired. When the pair of bows are employed at the center, gear means may be used for moving the central bows away from each other to cause the other bows to move downwardly therewith on opposite sides of the centerplane. A gear mechanism may be provided which is r'novable from either of the gears on the bottom bows to either one of the gears on the top bows so as to move either of the horizontal bows upwardly to vertical position or either of the vertical central bows downwardly to horizontal position. With this arrangement, only one side of the tent need be open through the movement of either the vertical or horizontal bows or both sides may be open or closed as desired by the movement of the bows. When the radius of the bows is small and provides rigidity thereto, the operation thereof from one end is sufficient to produce the operation at the opposite end and the gear mechanism need be employed only on one end of the bows. When, however, a larger radius is employed, the bows will be more flexible and the gear means will be required at both sides of the tent on both ends of the bows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view of a tent of the present invention when in collapsed position adjacent to one of a pair of stakes to which the tent is secured;

FIG. 2 is a view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the outside of the tent in raised position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the tent illustrated in FIG. 2, showing one-half of the inside thereof;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2,. taken on the line 44 thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3,. taken on the line 5-5 thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view of a tent, similar to that illustrated in FIG. 2, showing a pair of central vertical bows which are movable toward and away from each other;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the supporting plate for one end of the bows operated by a gear mechanism which produces the simultaneous raising or lowering thereof;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged broken sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 7, taken on the line 8-8 thereof;

FIG. 9 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in FIG. 7, employing planet gear means which is movable to four locked positions for operating either the two bottom bows or the two top bows to different positions;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 9, taken on the line 10-10 thereof;

FIG. 11 is a broken plan view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 9, as viewed downwardly from the center thereof;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 9, taken on the line l2l2 thereof;

FIG. 13 is a view of structure similar to that illus trated in FIG. 6 showing another form of the invention;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the supporting plate for one end of the bows and its pivoted support, and

FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 13, taken on the line 15I5 thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The tent 11 in one form of the present invention, has a pair of triangular shaped plates 12 to which a pair of ground engaging bows I3 and I4 are secured by pivots 35. A central bow 17 is secured to the top center of the plate 12 preferably by the pivot 35 and a bolt 18 to prevent the pivoting thereof relative to the plates. Intermediate bows I9, 20, 21 and 22 are also secured by pivots 35 to the plates for movement upwardly against the central bow 17 for producing a compact arrangement for shipping, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Oval shaped sections 23 of' fabric are secured together and to a listing strip 24 at each edge with one of the bows threaded therethrough so as to support the fabric in stretched position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the tent is erected after the plates 12 are secured to stakes 25 by a pair of bolts 26. The bows may be of true arcuate shape so as to have the tent semi-spherical when erected or of a shape varying from a true arcuate form. The bows may be struck from any radius but are struck from a radius of four to eight feet for a camping tent although the radius may be varied when used for purposes other than for camping.

A line 27 is secured to the bottom bow 13 and through guides 28 on bows 19, 21 and 17 and extended outwardly along the bow 17 through a guide 28. By pulling on the line 27 the bows 13, I9 and 21 will be raised against the bow 17 to provide an opening for entering the tent, for ventilating or for exposing the interior to the sunlight. A similar line 29 is secured in the same manner to the bottom bow I3 and through guides 31 on the bows 19, 21 and 17 on the inside of the tent. to extend downwardly from the bow 17 in position to be used by one inside of the tent for raising or lowering the bows 13, 19 and 21. It is to be understood that similar arrangements can be made for the bows 14, 20 and 22 so that either side of the tent can be raised or lowered from the inside or outside thereof through the manipulation of the lines 27 and 29.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the bows may be flattened at the ends 32 and provided with an aperture 33 which receives a shoulder portion 34 of the pivot 35 so as to prevent the end of the bows from being clamped against the plate 12 mounted for pivotal movement thereon. The pivots 35 have a pair of nuts 36 screwed thereon in locked relation and in fixed position on the plates 12. As illustrated in FIG. 4, a bolt 18 extends through aligned openings in the ends 32 of the bow 17 and the plates 12 to secure the bow in vertical position against pivoting. When the bolts 18 are removed, the bow 17 may pivot either side of the vertical position but the bows therebelow cannot pivot beyond the vertical position because the pivoted ends 32 of the bow 17 prevents them from passing thereover. When the bow 17 is retained in vertical position the other bows may be pivoted upwardly thereagainst to be in compact relation as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Suitable areas 37 form openings in the fabric which may be provided with screening material 38 and flaps 39 which are used to close the openings. The bottom bows 13 and 14 may be raised from the ground to provide ventilation throughout the tent area if the screened openings are objectionable. The tent is simple to erect and take down through the pivotal movement of the bows to or from the central bow 17 and the securing or the removal of the bolts 26 to or from the plates 12 and the stakes 25. By the use of the lines 27 and 29 the door is eliminated providing a tent having the enclosed area protected against the entrance of rain by the fabric secured between the bows. When the tent is opened from the outside by pulling the outside line 27, the raised bows will be grasped and held in position until the person enters the tent and secures the line 29 on the inside so that the bows may be lowered under the control of the operator. The arrangement will be repeated in reverse when moving from the inside to the outside of the tent.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, an extension of the inventive concept is illustrated wherein, instead of using the single central bow 17, a pair of central bows 41 are utilized which supports the top edges of the fabric 33 when pulled around each bow and stitched upon itself. In this manner, the bows 13 and 14, 19 and 20, 21 and 22 along with bows 42 support the fabric 30 in a manner as pointed out hereinabove. Supporting plates 43 have threaded apertures 44 provided therein which re ceive a shoulder screw 45 having a thread 46 on one end to permit the bows to freely pivot. As illustrated in FIG. 8, one of the upper screws 45 support a gear 47 to which a bow 41 is secured by a pair of screws 48. A like gear 49 is secured by nuts 48 to the other bow 41 and rotatably mounted on a screw 51 which is threaded on the plate 43 and secured by a nut 46 in a fixed relation therewith. The gear 49 has teeth 52 in mesh with the teeth 52 on the gear 47 to have both bows 41 move in unison. A pinion gear 53 has like teeth 52 thereon which mesh with the teeth on one of the gears 49 when supported on a shaft 54 extending through the plate 43 with each of the ends having a crank 55 secured thereto. The gear 53 may be rotated in either direction from the inner or outer side of the plate 43 by operating one of the cranks 55 on the ends of the shaft 54. The pinions 53 may be larger or smaller than the gears 47 and 49 and, while shown substantially the same size as the gears, it will be understood that a smaller gear will require more revolutions but less energy per revolution for raising and lowering the bows 41 simultaneously. When in raised position, as illustrated in FIG. 7, pins 56 may be used for securing the bows in vertical position. Ratchet means could be employed in combination with the cranks 55 to retain the pair of bows in any position in their travel to or from vertical or horizontal positions.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 12 wherein the horizontal bows 60 are illustrated as having angularly disposed flattened ends 61 each of which is secured to gears 62 pivoted to a plate 63 in the manner pointed out hereinabove with regards to the pivoting of the gears 47 and 49 on the plate 43 of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. Similarly, the two vertical bows 64 extend angularly from the flattened supporting ends 65 which are secured to a pair of like gears 66 by a screw 67. It will be noted that the angular disposition of the bows 60 and 64 relative to the flattened supporting ends permit the bows 60 to be disposed in the same horizontal plane when engaging the ground and the bows 64 to be disposed in abutting relation when in vertical position in which they are retained by the over-center position of the bows relative to the pivots of the gears 66.

A pair of gears 68 are pivotally secured to the plate 63 on the shouldered threaded pivots 69 having teeth on the peripheral edge in mesh with the teeth on the gears 62. A motor 71 is supported on a bracket 72 secured to a plate 73 which is attached to the plate 63 by a plurality of screws 64 on the flanged edge thereof. The plates 63 are stabilized in position by a stake 74 to which the plate is secured by a'plurality of screws 75. The motor end face which is spaced from the plate 73 has a washerlike plate 76 secured thereby by screws 77. A motor shaft 78 drives a gear 79 which drives a planettype gear 81 mounted on a swingable arm 82 having one end pivoted on the shaft 74 when the teeth of the planet gear 81 are in mesh with the teeth of the driven gear 79 and the gear 68. A spring pressed plunger 83 on the arm 82 extends within one of a plurality of aper tures 84 provided through the washerlike plate 76 to accurately locate the planet gear 81. By pulling outwardly on the knob 85 on the plunger 83 the end is removed from an aperture 84 which thereby permits the arm 82 to be swung to the position illustrated in dot and dash line in FIG. 9. In this position, the teeth of the planet gear 81 engages the teeth of the gear 86 for pro ducing its rotation. The arm 82 can be advanced to have the plunger engage the third hole 84 to have the teeth of the plane gear 81 engage those of the gear 66 on the righthand top of the plate 63. The arm 82 can be further advanced to have the teeth of the planet gear 81 engage the teeth of the enlarged gear 68 at the righthand corner of the plate 63. With this arrangement. either one of the bottom bows 60 or either one of the central top bows 64 may be moved upwardly or downwardly by the location of the planet gear 81 and the operation of the motor 71 in one or the other directions.

Due to the over-center position of the two pairs of bows 60 and 64 when in horizontal or raised position,

. the bows will remain therein until moved therefrom by the operation of the planet gear 81 driven by the motor 71. With this arrangement, one side of the tent may be opened by raising a bottom bow 60 or by lowering a top bow 64 or both sides may be opened by raising the two bottom bows 60 or lowering the two top bows 64. Switches for operating the motor will be provided on the plate 63 for'a three-way operation from a source of energy which may be a standard AC. current or a 12 Volt current from a battery. The motor is preferably of the DC. type operating on 12 Volts so that the battery of an automobile may be employed to provide the necessary energy. When a permanent installation is used, an AC. current of the standard type will be available. When the diameter of the bows is small and the length thereof short, the motor and gear mounting on one of the plates 63 is sufficient for operating the bows to the different positions above mentioned. However, if the bows are of substantial diameter and do not have sufficient strength, the gear and motor arrangement will be provided on the plates 63 at both sides of the tent for operating the ends of the bows 60 and 64 simultaneously. This is also true of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

Referring to FIG. 12, the adjacent vertical bows 64 are shown with the fabric 33 disposed therearound and in abutting relation along a central line 87 through which water may drip when rained on. To avoid the water passing into the tent, when its presence is unde sirable, a trough 88 may be secured to one of the bows 64 by a plurality of screws 89 into which the water may drip and be carried to the ground adjacent to the plates 63.

Referring to FIGS. l3, l4 and a support is shown for the end plates 90 on which the ends of the bows 91, 92, 93, 94 and 96 are pivoted on opposite sides ofa pair of central fixed bows 97. The bows 91 to 96 may be swung outwardly to have the bows 91 and 92 rest on the ground, as illustrated in FIG. 13, or may be moved upwardly against the two central bows 97, as illustrated in FIG. 14. The end plates 90 are pivotedly secured to an angle member 98 through the use of thumb screws 99. The thumb screws 99 extend through apertures 100 at the ends of the bows 91 and 92 and are treaded into threaded apertures 101 at the bottom corners of the plates 90 and into threaded apertures 102 in the vertical flange of the angle members 98.

The horizontal flange of the angle members 98 has apertures 103 therethrough through which headed pins 104 extend when driven into the ground. A washer 104 may be provided on the threaded end of the screws 99 located against the outer face of the plates 90 and against the cover material 106 on the bows. When the bows 91 to 96 are disposed against the central bows 97, as illustrated in FIG. 14, they may be tilted either to the left or right when pivoted about one of the thumb screws 99. The thumb screw is turned to back the thread out of the threaded aperture 102 of the angle members 98 so that the plates 90 may swing about the other thumb screw 99 to a ground engaged position as illustrated at the left in FIG. 14 in dot-dash line position and as shown in FIG. 1. The cover material 106, inner and outer cords and the like illustrated in FIG. 13 follow that described with regards to the structure illustrated in FIG. 2.

I claim:

1. In a tent, oppositely disposed ground engaging side plates, arcuate bows having their ends pivoted to the side plates to be arched therebetween, fabric means spanning the area between the bows when the bows are extended to form the tent, two central bows movable to adjacent vertical positions, gears mounted on an end of said central bows by which they are moved to raised adjacent position, the movement of one or both of the central bows to raised position causes the bows outwardly thereof to pivot upwardly therewith due to the cloth connection between the bows to cover the area within the two outermost bows which rest upon the ground.

2. In a tent as recited in claim 1, wherein a gear is provided on the same end of the two horizontal bows as the gears are provided on the two central vertical bows, a planet gear movable selectively into engagement with any one of the gears on the bows, and means for rotating said planet gear.

3. In a tent as recited in claim 2, wherein means are provided for securing the planet gear against advancement when in driving relation with one of said gears.

4. In a tent as recited in claim 3, wherein motor means are provided for driving the planet gear to raise or lower the bow secured to a gear in mesh therewith.

5. In a tent as recited in claim 4, wherein means are provided for retaining the two central bows in raised relation to the attached gear centers.

l l l 

1. In a tent, oppositely disposed ground engaging side plates, arcuate bows having their ends pivoted to the side plates to be arched therebetween, fabric means spanning the area between the bows when the bows are extended to form the tent, two central bows movable to adjacent vertical positions, gears mounted on an end of said central bows by which they are moved to raised adjacent position, the movement of one or both of the central bows to raised position causes the bows outwardly thereof to pivot upwardly therewith due to the cloth connection between the bows to cover the area within the two outermost bows which rest upon the ground.
 2. In a tent as recited in claim 1, wherein a gear is provided on the same end of the two horizontal bows as the gears are provided on the two central vertical bows, a planet gear movable selectively into engagement with any one of the gears on the bows, and means for rotating said planet gear.
 3. In a tent as recited in claim 2, wherein means are provided for securing the planet gear against advancement when in driving relation with one of said gears.
 4. In a tent as recited in claim 3, wherein motor means are provided for driving the planet gear to raise or lower the bow secured to a gear in mesh therewith.
 5. In a tent as recited in claim 4, wherein means are provided for retaining the two centraL bows in raised position.
 6. In a tent as recited in claim 5, wherein said central bows are disposed at an angle to the ends in overcenter relation to the attached gear centers. 